With only 3.57 million Farmers Group shares...

With only 3.57 million Farmers Group shares tendered, Batus Inc. extended the expiration date of its $63-a-share offer by 30 days to April 27. Farmers has about 70 million shares of common stock outstanding. Separately, a federal judge upheld Batus’ challenge of a Nevada law allowing company stockholders only 60 days to decide whether to take advantage of a tender offer. The state was ordered not to enforce its law, giving Batus more leeway in its bid for Farmers. Meanwhile, Farmers appealed to its stockholders in a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal not to assign their votes to Batus, which has sought their proxies in support of its resolution urging management to discuss the offer.